


The Bonds That Bind

by Cranksta



Series: Comissions [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Don't give him the rocket launcher Jack, Gabriel thinks Jack doesn't trust him anymore, M/M, My first commission!, Pre-Fall, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, they're still happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-28 21:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13912461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cranksta/pseuds/Cranksta
Summary: Prompt: Gabriel and Jack getting into a fight over a mission and finding out it was because they're worried for each other's safety.OrBlackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes is ready to launch his first operation- why is Jack being such an ass?





	The Bonds That Bind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [savegalkissy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/savegalkissy/gifts).



> This work came about thanks to SaveGalKissy! Thank you so much for commissioning me! This was a lot of fun to write.

      They’d always figured they would’ve had some kind of break after the crisis. A vacation, maybe even retirement. Saving the world came with hefty perks after all- full pensions worth millions and throngs of people willing to do anything for them. They were heroes. All of them.

 

      But here they were at a banquet celebrating the new peacetime leader and Strike Commander Jack Morrison. It had been quick, hardly a hint of a come-down after the Omnic-Human treaty was signed. He understood why it happened so quickly- the organization had so much more work to do. So much to rebuild and the council had chosen Jack for the job. Charismatic, even-headed, knowledgeable, he was an ideal candidate. Gabriel himself had given his full recommendation once he heard of the rumors. He was done with being under the scrutiny of the U.N., Jack was much better at it- had been since the beginning.

 

The U.N. had much different plans for him. Gabriel Reyes had been special ops even before he became Strike Commander- it was what he was trained in. Leaded in. Thrived in.

 

He’d expected to return to it someday, and Blackwatch suited him just fine. More so now that he knew he has a CO he can trust. Someone who will always have his back and give him the space to do what must be done without question. It wasn’t that he didn’t welcome suggestions or criticism, it’s that he appreciated being left on his own. No meddling, no gesturing and posturing from some official that felt the way he worked wasn’t good enough. That his methods weren’t good enough. He didn’t like being doubted.

 

Jack had never doubted him once in the last near-decade.

 

Which is why he was confused when Jack started acting like he did.

Blackwatch evolved fast, building on intel shared by international governments and connections already made in the Crisis. They had a line in everything, on everyone. The leads were developing into cases, cases into missions, and it was time for Gabriel to finally move on his first op as Blackwatch Commander.

 

     Throughout history, the USA had manage to avoid conflict on home soil phenomenally well. That is, until the Crisis. Millions of people displaced, cities destroyed and countless death- even the USA couldn’t hide from the Omnic war. The Southwest was hardest hit- the massive swaths of land ideal for Ominums and factories. The desert- once his home- was more or less a destruction zone now. Rebuilding came slow, the heavy amount of clean up that needed to be done came at a high price that the communities simply couldn’t afford. The remaining cities were far apart- but the moderate climate made it easier for those displaced to set up shelter wherever they could. Small towns popped up everywhere.

 

      In a way- the wild west was wild again. Cartels operated unchecked around the battered communities and desperate population. Drugs, trafficking, weapons, anyone was doing anything just to get by. The gangs preyed on this- on the entire generation of war orphans and struggling families. Vulnerability bred discord and strife and something big was forming in the middle of it.

 

      He had agents worming their way in- feeding back information about the small outposts that slowly unraveled to be much more. Stolen Omnic tech and weapons being sold to the highest bidder, military grade equipment being traded to other cartels in the area for partnerships and territories. Human trafficking was rampant- so many people vanishing without even being noticed. He had to sit down when one of his agents sent images back.

 

      Kids. Kids with guns in their hands and steel in their eyes. They were recruiting child soldiers from the plethora of war orphans in the area. Children that grew up in a broken world- disenfranchised with everything and eager to take some control in their lives.

 

      It was a terrorist cell- homegrown right where desperation drowned even the most honorable person. Taking advantage of destroyed communities and broken people. Taking over, infecting. Something had to be done.

 

      Not all at once, no. This would take years. Infiltration and raids, gathering of more and more data until they could attack the gang at its heart. But right now?

 

      Right now they had a shipment to stop.

 

      He had a whole file of things he could choose to intercept, but he couldn’t show his hand- not yet. Couldn’t go after the high target things yet, instead focusing on a small shipment of weapons to New Mexico. They were trying to establish a route, sourcing partners in the Midwest. He wanted the goods- wanted to detain the people themselves and see if he could establish a need for more investigation and more funding.

 

      Jack did what he could- but even he couldn’t convince the U.N. to get off their ass without sufficient evidence. 

 

      Which is why he sat where he was now, chin on his hands, staring down the emails Jack had been sending him since he first started negotiating the mission early that morning.

 

     His first mission as Blackwatch Commander and all of a sudden Jack is acting as if he has never had experience in the field before.

 

     Notes written over red lines in his requests littered the pages in frantic patterns. There wasn’t a single detail Jack  _ hadn’t  _ nitpicked. His weapons roster, his data files, his armour requests. Jack had something to suggest and substitute on everything.

 

     The big flashing REJECTED notice at the top of the screen gave him a headache, but there was something burning in his chest as he stared at what was really bothering him. The personnel list he’d carefully crafted to include his most trusted agents and soldiers had been outright ripped apart. Question marks, substitutions, messy scribbling over certain names. It was clear Jack had something to say not only about him and his decision making- but his people as well. Many of the agents being people Jack had served next to during the Crisis suddenly weren’t good enough.

 

     The Commander had lost trust in his own people and that simply would not be tolerated.

 

     He quickly opened the notes on a data pad and stormed out of his office. He had maybe a week until the shipment hit the interception point. He was not going to let the opportunity pass, and definitely not because Jack couldn’t get his head out of his ass long enough to just trust him to know what he was doing. If he’d had any valid concerns over the operation that would be one thing- but this senseless and blatant questioning of his decisions was something much more. It was outright insulting. Jack knew him better than this.

 

Was Jack really letting the position get to his head like this?

 

He stalked down the hallways, not caring for the agents he was scaring along the way. He didn’t spare a glance towards Jack’s secretary, merely walking towards the door and pressing his keycard against the reader. Whether or not Jack had a meeting was none of his concern- they could all fuck off at this moment in time.

 

Luckily, Jack had no visitors- his head snapping up as Gabriel walked heavily into the room and threw down his cased data pad onto Jack’s pristine white desk, leaning down to slam his hand on the desk next to it.

 

“What the fuck is this, Morrison?”

 

The rejected request was bright on the screen, Jack unable to avert his eyes as Gabriel stared him down. Gabriel waited, Jack slowly breathing deep and leaning back.

 

“An unapproved mission request.”

 

_ Fucking smart ass _ . He scowled at the man- straightening and forcing Jack to look up at him. He was going to play it this way then? Fine.

 

If Jack couldn’t respect him enough to make good decisions as a Commander, then what else did he have to lose?

 

“And why exactly is it unapproved?”

 

     Jack narrowed his eyes.

 

     “I’ve explained it quite clearly, I thought.”

 

    Gabriel reached down, pointing at the pages covered in red notes.

 

    “Correcting my mission request like some kind of kindergarten teacher is not my idea of explaining disapproval  _ clearly _ , Morrison.”

 

    He throws the pad back down, the anger building in his chest.

 

    “So tell me exactly what is it about me and my decision making that you doubt so much you can sit here and shit all over my plans from the safety of your fucking office and not to my face?”

 

     Jack recoiled as if shot, making Gabriel sneer. Serves him fucking right.

 

    “Gabe that’s not what I-”

 

    “I’m not some greenhorn you can just push around and expect no resistance. I’ve been planning this for fucking months and you know that! You’ve seen everything I have! So tell me why all of a sudden I’m not good enough to lead my own missions how I decide to?”

 

    Jack stood hastily, eyes still wide.

 

   “That wasn’t my intention, Gabe. I don’t doubt that you’re perfectly capable of leading. You know that.”

 

   “Then why?”

 

    Jack’s expression softened as he crossed his arms.

 

   “I’m… concerned. This is Blackwatch’s first mission and if it goes wrong I-”

 

   Jack sighed heavily.

 

   “I won’t be there to help you.”

 

    The anger and indignance in his gut vanished, scowl dropping off his face.

 

    Jack had been afraid. It would be the first mission that he wouldn’t be right there fighting alongside Gabriel and he didn’t know how to cope.

 

    He slowly walked around the desk, taking Jack’s face in his hands and taking a deep breath.

 

    “Jack, you could’ve talked to me about instead of… this.”

 

    Jack closed his eyes, leaning into the touch.

 

    “I should’ve. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was undermining you.”

 

    “It wasn’t the best way to go about sharing your concerns, I’m sure you can understand my reaction.”

 

    Jack laughed a bit. “Yeah.”

 

    “So does this mean I have your full support for the mission?”

 

    Jack laughed a bit more heartily. “Yeah. Whatever you need.”

 

    Some thought the relationship between them unprofessional- decades down the line people would see it as opportunistic. That Jack couldn’t see the dangers behind the brown eyes of the man he loved and trusted to do the right thing no matter what.

 

    Some of them would be right.

 

    But Gabriel couldn’t give a single shit over rumors being spread about things no one truly understood as he pulled Jack in, kissing him softly. Jack melted in his arms, relief seeping into his being as he held Gabriel close. Jack broke off suddenly.

 

    “Does this mean you forgive me for being a dick?”

 

    Gabriel smiled slyly.

 

    “I don’t know. Throw in one of those fancy rocket launchers I know Lindholm has in the back of his shop and we’ll see.”

 

    Jack laughed. “It’s useful on the mission, is that right?”

 

    Gabriel smiled, not answering.

 

    Yes of course. That is indeed why he wanted it. Absolutely the only reason.

 

    He leaned down to pick up the tablet and move towards the door, pressing the button on the side and opening it with a hiss.

 

    “Gabe? Gabe, that is why you want it, right?”

 

    He looked back over his shoulder before smirking and stepping out of the office.

 

    “Gabe! Hey- wait!”

 

    Gabriel laughed, ignoring the sounds of Jack panicking. 

 

    He had a mission to lead.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hello! If you want to check me out on Twitter here I am!
> 
> https://twitter.com/Vertizontally


End file.
